


To have a heart

by Builder



Series: Powers/No Powers Choose-Your-Own-Adventure [40]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Depression, Established Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Fluff and Angst, M/M, valentines day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:34:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29634018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Builder/pseuds/Builder
Summary: It’s, um.”  Steve pauses.  “I don’t know if you’ve been keeping track of the date…”Bucky grunts.  Steve can’t tell if it’s an affirmative or not.  He isn’t sure if his sentence was a statement or a question, either, or what the proper answer would be.__________Or, what to do when Valentines Day is upon you, and your partner has severe clinical depression.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: Powers/No Powers Choose-Your-Own-Adventure [40]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/760377
Comments: 1
Kudos: 45





	To have a heart

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr @builder051

Steve sits at the kitchen table, letting the condensation from his glass of orange juice soak into his palm. He stares across the room at the wall calendar, each day carefully ticked off until today. The 14th. Of February. The calendar helpfully notes that it’s Valentines Day in tiny italicized script in the corner of the date box, though Steve’s already quite familiar with the holiday and its implications.

There’s a sound like the fluttering of a bird’s wing, and Steve cocks his ear toward the ceiling. He holds his breath, waiting to see if he hears it again. Or if he hears anything at all. Bucky hasn’t been downstairs in over 36 hours, so it’s about time for him to throw the quilt to the floor and emerge from the bedroom, even if it’s just for coffee and TV. Or coffee and back to bed.

Steve hears soft footsteps next, and his heart jumps into his throat. He’s not usually nervous to see Bucky, but today… today is different. Today he’s supposed to have bought chocolates or roses or new underwear or a pair of steaks and candles. His mind flicks through each choice, and he feels more lost with each one. Because Bucky would hate each one, and that would make Steve the enemy for presenting it, yet Bucky would try to hide his distaste behind a quavering smile and a nauseous gulp. Then he’d probably excuse himself to go puke, then tell Steve he wanted some time alone.

Steve shakes himself when he sees Bucky’s feet on the stairwell. He quickly rises to start the coffeemaker. 

“Morning,” he calls, probably too early for their interaction to properly start.

“Hmph.” Bucky has on Steve’s jacket over his own pajamas. It looks oversized on him; too long in the waist per usual, but now too deep in the chest and shoulders as well. The chocolates or the steaks would be a good idea of Bucky would take them, but Steve knows he won’t. Whole milk coffee creamer is about the best he can do, and most days Bucky’s too tired to even stir that into his brew.

“Coffee?” Steve asks.

Bucky nods and takes a seat at the table, yawning and covering his mouth with a sleeve swathed in his sleeve.

Steve begins to ransack the cabinet for a mug, looking for something appropriate to the occasion. Surely they have something romantic. With hearts? With something inspirational written on it?

Settling for ‘world’s greatest Dad’ he accidentally liberated from Clint’s one morning when Laura sent him out the door with a literal steaming mug of tea, Steve swaps the carafe for the mug and lets it fill directly from the drip. Once it’s mostly full, he sets it in front of Bucky, then turns to retrieve the cream and sugar.

When he turns around, though, Bucky’s already sipping shakily.

“Ooh, I bet that’s hot,” Steve says. He deposits the cream and sugar on the table and re-takes his seat, realizing too late he’s forgotten a spoon.

Bucky shrugs. “’s fine.”

“It should say ‘world’s greatest Buck,’ you know.”

“Huh?”

“Your cup.” Steve points.

Bucky holds the mug at arm’s length. “Oh.”

“It’s, um.” Steve pauses. “I don’t know if you’ve been keeping track of the date…”

Bucky grunts. Steve can’t tell if it’s an affirmative or not. He isn’t sure if his sentence was a statement or a question, either, or what the proper answer would be.

“But it’s a special day. And I just want to say… I love you?” That part definitely wasn’t meant to come out as a question.

Bucky looks at him blankly for a moment, then quietly says, “Love you, too.”

Steve smiles, unsure why he feels so relieved. 

“D’you want coffee?” Bucky suddenly says, pushing back his chair and getting to his feet.

“Uh, sure, yeah,” Steve replies, slightly taken aback. “Thanks.”

Bucky shuffles over to the coffeemaker and takes an inordinately long time getting a mug from the cabinet, then pouring the hot liquid. His hand trembles as he sets it down, but he manages to maintain his grip.

“It’s for you,” Bucky says unnecessarily, nudging a knuckle at the bold ‘SHIELD’ emblazoned on the front of the mug. “But it’s supposed to say ‘Steve.’”

“Ah.” Steve nods. “Ok.”

“My Steve.” Bucky cracks a small smile.

Steve reaches out and hooks one arm around Bucky’s waist, pulling him into a gentle hug. “Thanks, Buck,” he whispers. “I love you.” 


End file.
